Animal trap



May 24, 1927.

C. W. BORG ANIMAL TRAP Filed Dec. 4. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4 1,629,649May 24 1927' c. w. BORG ANIMAL .TRAP

Filed Dec. 4. 192e 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented May 2,4, 1927.

UNITED gSTATES. PATE CARL W. BORG, or ABERDEEN, WASHINGTON.

ANIMAL TRA?.

Application lecl December 4, 1926. Serial No. 152,841.

This invention relates to traps ot that character wherein there are twoopposed, pivoted jaws, a spring urging the jaws towards each other, andmeans i'or holding the jaws apart, which means is released by a,

trigger.

The general object ot the present invention is to provide means ilorholding the jaws apart which is adjustable so that either a light pull,a heavy pull.` or a medium pull upon the trigger cord or other releasingdevice of the trap, may release the spring and jaws and permit the jawstoclosc.

A further object is to provide a trap ot this character which may beused either attached to a tree, a log, which may be ,disposed in thetrack 'ot an animal, or under water and which rwill still operateproperly.

A still further object is to provide a trap in which the latching or jawholding means is automatically set to hold the trap jaws open when thetrap jaws are manually opened.

Other objects will appear in the course lof the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure1 is atop plan view ot a trap constructed in accordance with myinvention, the jaws' being opened; Y

Fig. 2 is a side elevation ot the structure shown in Figure 1; j

Fig. 3 is a section on the -line 33 of Figure 2;

Fig. et is a like view to Figure 1 but showing the jaws closed;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the trap with the jaws closed.

Referring to the drawings it will be seen that designates a base havingupturned ends 11. Opposed jaws 12V are provided, each of these jawsbeing angularly bent at its ends, as at 13, to engage in the ears 11.Any other means for pivotally supporting the jaws upon the base 10 maybe used. Connected to both jaws are the legs 14 of a circular spring 15which may be of any suitable form. The legs 14 at their extremities arereduced and inserted in apertures in the jaws 12 and the tendency of thespring is to cause the legs to move towards each other and .thus urgethe jaws to a closed position,

Each leg of the spring is provided with a bifurcated ear 16 and pivotedin these ears are the links 17 and 18 which overlap each other and arepivoted to each other by a pin lt). Preferably one o1' these .links as,l't'or instance, 17 is biturcated and the other "formed with a tongueinscrtible into this bifurcation. The link 18 is shown as provided withan outwardly projecting lug 2-0 to which a cord 21 is attached, theopposite end o't this cord being connected to the outer lug or ear 11and preferably also by branch cords 22 to the jaws 12. lVhen the braceor latch :formed by the links 17 and 18 is in the positionshownin'Figure 1, with the links 17 A and 18 in alignment. or with thepivot pin 19 inward ot a. line extending through the vpivot pins 22S,the jaws will he held open but when these links are pulled 'forward intoangular relation or broken` as shown in Figure 4, the jaws will Vclose'under the intiuence of the spring 15. j

For the purpose of controlling the degree to which the links 17 and 18may move toward an aligning position, I mount vupon the spring 15adjacent one of the arms lil, a bracket Passing through this bracket isthestop screw held in adjusted position by the lock nut 26.v It thisstop screw is withdrawn to a greater extent than shown in Figure 1,'thepivoted links 17 'andlS may bow in slightly towards this stop screw rnda considerable pull upon the trigger cord 21 will be necessary in orderto pull the links past their center and permit the jaws to close. It',on the other hand, the .screw 25 be turned inward to or even slightlybeyond the position shown in Figure 1, it is obvious that the links canonly be shifted into alignment with each other or to a position nearlyin alignment, and in that case only a relatively slight pull upon thecord 21 will be necessary in order to shift the pivotecl ends of thelinks past the center extending through the pivot pins 23 and the pivot19. Thus, by means ot' this stop screw 25, the point at which the trapwill be sprung may be determined and while this screw 25 is set in thisposition, the trap will' always spring7 under a certain tension and willnot spring undera less tension.

Bait may be mounted upon the cord 21 or mounted upon the base 10 or thetrap may be disposed across a pathway where an animal will be likely tostrike the trip cord 21. This trap may be set across the favorite runwayof an animal, at the entrance of a hole, it may be attached to a tree orlog, or placed beneath the water.v and it will act under any of thesecircumstances. By adjust-ing the tension at which the trap can besprung, small animals which would otherwise he trapped, may be prevented'from aetuating the trap and only largeranima'ls will he caught. Thusthe trap is adjustable to animals of Various kinds. The trap isextremely simple light, and readily handled, and it will he seen thatwhat may be termed the latchor trigger of the trap is self-setting` inthat When the jaws areinanually opened7 the legs let of the spring areiorced apart and this automatically brings the links li' and 18 into ornearly into alignment with each other. the position oli these lnksbeing' determined hy adjusting the screw It is not necessary. therefore.to open the jaws and then set anyv latch or trigger. '."he cord 2l mayhe ot' such length tha t when the links 17 and 1S are disposed inalignment oi' nearly so. the cord 2l will be tensioned to a properdegree.

I claim l. trap comprising a hase. opposed jaws pivoted upon the hasefor inovcm=` it towards or from each other, an :ipproxii i shapedspring` having" legi/'s engaging the jaws, the spring` urging the jawsJoV4 aros each other7 and means for hohflingg tne jaws apart comprising,a pair of overlappingA lin pivotedto the legs ofthe spring` andpi'i'oted to each other` a stop tor limiting' the movi ment of the legspast their pivotal, centers in one direction, and a trip connectionconnectedto one ot said links and when struck pulling' the links pasttheir centers in the other direction.

nagaan 2. A trap comprising` a base, opposed jaws pivot-ed upon the basefor movement toward or from each other, an approximately U- shapedspring, having legs engagingthe jaws, the spring urging the jaws towardseach other. and means tor holding' the jaws apart comprising al pair ofoverlapping` links pii'oted to the legs ofV the spring` and pivoted toeach other, an adjustable stop mounted upon the spring on that .side otthe links remote from the jaws and limiting the movement ot the linkspastt-heir centers in this direction, and a trip connection connected toone of said links and when struck j nulling the links past their centersin the other direction.

3. A trap of the character described comprising a hase having`upstanding lugs, opposite-ly disposed bowed jaws pivoted at Atheir endsin said lugs, an approximatelyv i-shaped spring h'axf'ing legsextendingl into said jaws, overl-apping` links, each pivoted to one of`said legs. the links being pivoted to each other and one oi" said linkshaving an angularly projecting' portion7 a trip cord attached to theangulaily projecting portionl at one end and at its other end attachedto the oodji of the trap. a bracket extendingtrom said sj'ninej'hehindone of said links` and s screw adjustable through said bracket to limitthe extent to which the links may he shifted beyond their pivotalcenters in this d ireetion. i Y

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

CARL lV. BORG;

